The world had shattered. The ground cracked open, spewing molten earth like an open wound. It was as if the very sky had been torn apart, black clouds swirling in a chaotic dance. The roar of the earth was deafening, like an ancient beast awakening from centuries of slumber.
Selene barely registered the tremor in the ground beneath her feet. Her heart was pounding in her chest, every beat a reminder of the terror building within her. The sky the sky above them was no longer just a backdrop. It was alive. Alive with a presence she couldn't comprehend.
And yet, standing beside her, Alaric remained calm, unbothered by the destruction unfolding around them. His face, as beautiful and dangerous as it always was, was unreadable—except for that flicker of something else. Something darker.
"Isn't this... a bit dramatic?" Viktor's voice broke through the madness, his usual bravado tinged with uncertainty.
